Switch



Oct. 31, 1944. E. T. PLATZ 2,361,564

IN VEN TOR '55. Elu/aa] Z', Platz SWITCH Filed Nov. 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 'ZwaaJ I." Plafz.

y/g//iTToRNEY Patented Oct'.- 31, 1944 UNITED STATES SWITCH Elwood T. Platl, Detroit, Mich., signor to Bulidog a corporation of West Electric Products Company, Detroit, Mich..

Vllllllll appueauon November s. 1942, serial Noasuz'za 14 Claims.

This application relates to switches and more particularly to switches oi .the manually operable and automatically openable type.

An object oi this invention is to provide a releasably latched switch for controlling several contacts simultaneously and this is accomplished, in the main, by providing a latching member and a latched member, with the former directly controlling one oi' the contacts and the latter directly controlling another contact.

A further object is to provide a manual circuit opening operation accomplished by unlatching a latching member which normally holds a latched member, rather than, as is common, by operating on the latched member directly, then being held by the latching member, for circuit opening. Where a spring biased latched member is operated upon directly for circuit opening. while latched, there arises the objection of additionally stressing the latching member with the latching member functioning as a. pivot for the'latched member, and also the objection of overcoming the main operating spring then operating on thelatching member. By having the circuit opening movement eiected by unlatching the latching member, rather than by moving the latched member while latched, the foregoing objections are eliminated.

Still another object is to provide in a 'switch a manual actuation of such a character that though successively diiferent operations are to be performed by manual operation, the manually movable parts go through identical movements, sometimes known as step by step movement. In known switches, the manually movable means is moved first one way for circuit opening and then the opposite way for circuit closing. In the switch hereof the movement imparted to the manually movable means is the same whether the eiect desired be circuit opening or circuit closing.

-The foregoing objects and others are attained by the switch herein disclosed, for an understanding of which reference should be had to the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings,

Fig. 1 shows the switch in open circuit position. at rest, and is a view as if in the direction of the arrows l oi' Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 2 shows the switch in two different positions, the dotted lines indicating the iinal rest closed circuit position and the full lines indicating the position oi' the parts after being moved from circuit open position but before they are naily (ci, zoo-ss) y 1Figs. 3-4-5 are sectionl views on lines 3 2, 4 4, B-l of Fiss. 2, 1, and 1 respectively.

Fig. 6 is an exploded view or the-parts.

The switch hereof includes an insulating base i l0 and a U shaped insulation casing Il closed at its bottom by the base l0 and closed at its ends by end plates i2-I2. The switcli'is shown as co'ntrolling three poles, with the controlling parts of the three poles labelled A, B, and C, respectively. The controlling parts include insulation blocks Il mounted on the base and within which are separated stationary line andload contacts il, I6, the former being connected by straps and connectors I 1 to terminals of line conductors and the latter being connected through connectors Il, magnetic coils 20, and connectors 2| to terminals of load conductors. Since the switch' is shown as three pole, thereare three complete sets of parts liu-2|, one set 'for each p ole and these are disposed along the base ll in spaced relation.

There are also three sets of movable bridging contacts 22 in the form of elongated membersand these are pivotally connected at their centers to operators therefor. For operating the movable contact 22 of pole A there is.connected to it the downwardly projecting end 2l of a latch rod 25 whose other end is pivotally mounted at 28 in the casing |I.- 'I'he other two contacts 22, oi phases B and C, are connected at their centers to ends of a bridge piece 2l in turn connected at 28 to a link 29 whose other end is connected at I0 to one end of a contact support or latched member 3i which is pivotally mounted, by a pin and slot connection at 2 2 to lugs 3l fastened to the casing l i, and the contact support Il may therefore be-regarded as pivotaliy mounted on the casing between its ends. The connection I2 includes a'pin 32a riding in slot 32h of support Il and fitted in holes 32o of lugs 33. A coil spring il has its free end disposed against the upper surface ot the casing II and its lower end fitted on a-spring'seat 3l4 of the contact support. The spring seat 3l and the connection III are on opposite sides of the pivotal mounting I2 of the support 3l.

The end o! the support remote from'the` connection point 20 is adapted to be releasably latched by the engagement ot its lower edge portion 38 with a circular roller or latching member Il mounted on the latch rod 25. A coiled spring 3l connected atpoint to the casing Ii and at point 4l to the latch rod 2l at all times tends to pull the latch rod clockwise (Fig. 1) on its pivot 2O so as to bias the latch l1 upwardly. The spring 3l also biases the latch rod towards a stop 42 on the casing Il, opposing latch release parts later described, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Manual actuation movement of the latch rod for circuit opening is provided by a lever or handle 50 pivoted on the casing at I and connected at 52 to a link 53 passing through a slot 54 of the casing and having an end connected at 55 to a spring 56 connected to the base lll at 51, a stop 5l on link 53 terminating upward movement of the link 53 as lever 50 is moved counterciockwise, Fig. l. The spring 58 at all times biases the lever and link to the final rest position shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the link 53 is the circuit opening actuator and is formed as a latch releasing cam 59, being inclined in such a manner that when the lever 50 is moved counterciockwise, Fig. l, the cam 5930i the link 53 cams the latch rod 25 to rock on pivot 23 away from the stop Alt, in this manner moving the latch member or roller 3l away from under the lower edge 36 or latched portion oi the support or latched memmer 3|. The pick up of latch rod 25 by cam 53 occurs only7 when the latch rod is in the circuit closed or latching position.

Automatic actuation movement may be imparted to the latch rod 25 for circuit opening by latch release hook 5l formed on the end of a plunger 62 moved by the magnetic coil 25. A spring 53 is provided for constantly biasing the hook 6l to the ineffective or dotted line position of Fig. 5. @n the arising of an overload in any pole, the coil 2li of that pole will be energized sufficiently to overcome the spring 63 and pull hook 6i to the left, Fig. 5, and move latch rod 25 away from stop 42, opposing spring 38, to move the latch 3l and. release the support 3 i.

circuit closing actuator is provided; this is in the form of a lug 66 formed on the link 53 and adapted to pick up a closing lug 6l on the support 3i, but only when the support 3| is in the released or open circuit position. At that time movement ci the lever 5|) from its rest position will cause lug 66 of link 53 to pick up lug 61 of the support 3i and rock it clockwise (Fig. l to Fig. 2), on its pivot 32 to ride up and over latch rolle: 3T of latch rod 25. If the circuit be closed, however, closing lug 61 is out of the path of movement of lug 5S oi' link 53, and lever movement, from rest position, does not act upon support Il through any cooperation of lugs 66 and Bl.

Operation The operation is as follows:

When the .parts are in circuit open position, Fig. i, spring 33 biases latch rod 25 towards but not against stop 42 but latch rod 25 is held stopped by the engagement of latch rod 25 with the back of support 3|, viewed in Fig. 1. Spring 3.. pushes down on support 3| to bias it counterclockwise and support 3| is held stopped by the engagement of portions 22 with the blocks I4, as shown in Fig. 4. Spring 56 holds the lever En and link 53 in the rest position shown, Fig. l.

To close the circuit, the lever 50 is moved counterclockwise to the full line position of Fig. 2, and then the lever is released to move t0 the dotted line position of Fia. 2. When the lever is rst moved, thatis before it is released, closing lug or actuator 6B of link -53 picks up lug 61 of support 3l to move the latter up and over latch roller 3l, whereupon spring 38 pulls latch rod 25 forwardly to stop 42, thus positioning latch 3l under latched portion 36 of support 3|, there being some degree of overtravel. Spring 34, biasing support 3| down, while support 3| has its portion 33 engaging roller 31. on latch rod 2l, causes that rod to move down, to close the circuit on pole A at 22'-I5, even while the lever Il is held in the full line position, Fig. 2, to hold the link assembly and the support in their full line position, Fig. 2. On release of the lever 5l, spring 58 pulls link 53 and lever 5|| to the dotted line position, freeing support 3| from the lever and link assembly. However, spring 34 still pushes down on support 3| to bias latch roller Il and latch rod 25, and particularly its portion 24 and the pole A contact 22 carried thereby, down to the pole A stationary contacts l5, Il to continue to close the circuit on pole A, The stress of spring 34 on support 3|, latched at 38, also is imparted to link 23 to move it down, thus, moving the bridging piece 2l and the poles B and C contacts 22 carried thereby down to circuit closing position.

When a latch release force arises, either from a movement of lever 50 from its rest position counterciockwise, Fig. 2, or from a movement of any latch releasing hook Bl due to an overload in any coil 20, the latch rod 25 is moved in opposition to the holding spring 38 to move latch roller 31 back from under support 3| which then is rocked clockwise by spring 34 to pull up on link 23 and contacts 22 to open the circuit on poles B and C` Spring 33 will rock the latch rod 25 clockwise on pivot 26 to lift up on the contact 22A connected to the trip rod at 24 to open the circuit on pole A.

Since spring 34 is well to the left oi' lug l1, it can swing support 3| counterciockwise for circuit opening on unlatching at 35, even though sup port 3| be held up at lug 5l by the holding of handle 50 in the full line position of Fig, 2.

Features It will be observed that the latch roller 3l, which functions as a latch for the contact support 3|, is itself connected, through part 24, to a movable contact 22, independent of the support or latched member 3|, so as to function as a contact controlling element as well as a latching element. This enables the switch t0 control several contacts simultaneously, one being oontrolled by latch rod 25, and the other two by support 3 I Unlike single pole switches having a support generally similar to the support 3| hereof and connected to a contact at a point generally similar in location to point 30 hereof, the switch hereof has as a feature a (pole A) movable contact 22 connected to the latch 3l and controlled by that latch in such a manner that when that latch is in support released position its (pole A) movable contact 22 is in circuit open position and when that latch is in support holding position, its (pole A) movable contact 22 engages its stationary contacts I5, I6. Though, in prior known switches, a latch located similarly to latch 3l hereof is used for holding a support, such latch is not known to have been provided with a contact controlled by it, in the manner just described, independent of the support 3|.

In addition, the switch hereof has as a feature not only an automatic release for latch 31 (coil 20-hook 6|), but also a manual release (cam 58-lever 5U). Whereas, in prior known switches employing support members similar to the support member 3| hereof, manual switch opening is accomplished by a handle operating on the support member directly, to overcome its spring (like spring 34 hereof) rather than on the latch,

in the construction hereof, the handle operates directly on the latch to release it and it isthe spring 3| that moves the support for circuit opening, rather than the manual actuator.

It will also be observed that the closing lug 61 of the contact support 3| is at one time in the path of lug 66 of the manual actuation means (5t-53) but at another time is not in that path. The position of lug 61 therefore determines whether or not manual actuation will move the contact support through lug 68, and the position of lug 51 in turn is determined'by the condition of the circuit. The manual actuation means (S0-53) is constructed to have identical movements on successive strokes, but successively different operations despite the identity of successive movements. Every movement of lever 50 is a rocking of the lever counter-clockwise from.

its rest position and a subsequent release thereof. The rst movement will cause circuit opening, the second will cause circuit closing, the third circuit opening, and so forth. The successive movements are identical but the effects are successively different. The switch hereof includes two separate and independent manual actuators, the iirst, release cam 59, be`ing a latch release actuator, and the second, lug 4r6B, being a relatching actuator. The two actuators 59 an'd 66 however, are arranged to have a common handle 50 and a common movement, but are so positioned that they operate on different parts o'i *the switch at different times. Thus, in response to the common movement, cam 59 and lug 66 move in unison: however, if the switch is closed, Fig. 2, the lug 56 performs no function, at that time. not engaging the held support and rather the cam 59 only functions, engaging the held latch to release it. On the other hand, when the switch is open, cam 59 and lug 66fWil1 move in unison but cam 59 will not function since it will not engage the then released latch, but rather lug 66 will function to engage the then released support to return it to latched p'osition. By having a common handle and a common movement for the two separate actuators, it is possible to employ successive identical movements for manual operation even though it is desired that successive manual operations produce successively different operations.

Now having described the switch hereinl disclosed, reference should be had to the claims which follow for a determination of the inventions hereof. l

I claim: y

l. A. switch having two stationary contacts, two movable contacts adapted to engagevthem. a support connected at one point to one of said movable contacts, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the latch being connected to the other movable contact in such a marmer` that that movable contact engages its stationary contact when the latch holds the support and is free of its stationary contact when the latch releases the support, the. support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing the support to move `for contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact engages its stationary contact,

nected to `the other movable contact in such a manner that that movable contact engages its stationary contact when the latch holds the support and is tree of its stationary contact when the latch releases the support, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediatethe aforesaid points, a spring engagingi the support between its pivotal mounting point. and its latch held point for biasing the support to move for contact separation when the latch releases. the connection between the support and the mov"- able contacteconnected to it being such that when thesupport is held by the latch, that movable contact engages vits stationary contact, and when the latch releases the supportthelatter is moved bythe spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual 'means for returning the released latch to ysupport holding position, and1 for returning the-'released support to latch held position.

and when the latch releases the support, the

y3. A switch having two stationary contacts, two movable contacts adapted to engage them,

a support connected at one point to one of said lmovable contacts, a releasable latch for holding 'between its pivotal mounting Vpoint and its latch held point for biasingthe support to move for contact separationV when the latch releases, the connection between the ysupport and the `mov able contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, lthat movable contact engages its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, manual and automatic means for moving the latch to release the support, and means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position. i

4. A switch having two stationary contacts,

two movable contacts adapted to engage them,`

a support connected at one point to one of said movable contacts, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the latch being connected to the other movable contact in such a manner that that movable contact engages its stationary contact when the latch holds the support and is free of its stationary contact when the latch releases the support, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing the support to move for con-.

tact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact engages' its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, manual and automatic means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position.

5. A switch having two stationary contacts, two movable contacts adapted to engage them, a support connected at one point to one of said movable contacts, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the latch being connected to the other movable contact in such a manner that that movable contact engages its stationary contact when the latch holds the support and is free of its stationary contact when the latch releases the support, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing the support to move for contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch. that movable contact engages its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary Contact, manual and automatic means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position, the two manual means having a common handle and a common movement, and two separate actuators, one of which engages the latch when it holds but not when it is released, for releasing it, and the other of which engages the support when it is released but not when it is held, for returning it to latch held position.

6. A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it, a support connected at one point tosaid movable contact, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring means engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing the support to move for contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact engages its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, manual means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position.

7. A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it, a support conuected at one point to said movable contact, a

releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring means engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing, the support to move tor contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it lbeing such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact engages its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, automatic and manual means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position.

8. A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it, a support connected at one point to said movable contact, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring means engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing the support to move for contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact engages its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, automatic and manual means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position, the two manual means having a common handle and a common movement, and two separate actuators, one of which engages the latch when it holds but not when it is released, for releasing it, and

the other of which engages the support when it is released but not when it is held, for returning it to latch held position.

9. A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it, a support connected at one point; to said movable contact, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring means engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing the support `to move for contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact engages its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by he spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, manual means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position, a second stationary contact, and a second movable contact, the latch being connected to the second movable contact in such a manner that the second movable contact engages the second stationary contact when the latch holds the support but ls free of the second stationary contact when the latch releases the supportc 10. A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it, a support connected at one point to said movable contact, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at another point, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring means engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasfA ing, the support to move for contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact engages its stan tionary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, automatic and manual means for moving the latch to release the support( and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position, a second stationary contact, and a second movable contact, the latch being connected to the second movable contact in such a manner that the sec ond movable contact engages the second stationary contact when the latch holds the support but is free of the second stationary contact when the latch releases the support.

11. A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it, a support connected at one point to said movable contact, a releasable latch for holding the support in circuit closing position by engaging it at anu1 other point, the support being pivotally mounted at a point intermediate the aforesaid points, a spring means engaging the support between its pivotal mounting point and its latch held point for biasing, the support to move for contact separation when the latch releases, the connection between the support and the movable contact connected to it being such that when the support is held by the latch, that movable contact A engages its stationary contact, and when the latch releases the support, the latter is moved by the spring to move that movable contact away from its stationary contact, automatic and 'manm ual means for moving the latch to release the support, and manual means for returning the released latch to support holding position, and for returning the released support to latch held position, the two manual means having1 a com mon handle and a common movement, and two separate actuators, one of which engages the latch when it holds but not when it is released,

for releasing it, and the other of which engages the support when it is released but not when it is held, for returning it tc latch held position, a second stationary contact, and a second movable contact, the latch being connected to the second movable contact in such a manner that the second movable contact engages the second stationary contact when the latch holds the support, but is free of the second stationary contact when the latch releases the support.

l2. A. switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted te engage it, a latched member, a releasable latching member :tor holding the latched member in circuit closing position by engaging it, the latching member being connected to the movable contact in such a manner that that movable contact engages its stationary contact when the .latching member holds the iatched member, and is free of its stationary contact when the latching member releases the 'iatched member, and releasing means for the iatching member.

13, A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it, a latched member, a releasable latchinc member for holding the latched member in circuit closing position by engaging it, the latching member being connected to the movable contact in such a manner that that movable Contact engages its stationary contact when the latcliing member holds the iatched member, and is of its stationary Contact when the latehing member releases the latched member, releasing means lor 'the latching member including manual means and auto matie circuit responsive means.

le. A switch having a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to engage it., a latched member, a releasable latchlng member for holds ing the latched member in circuit closing position by engaging it, the latching member being con.- nected to the movable contact in such a. man-u nei that that movable contact engages its sta@ tisnary contact when the latching' holds the latched member, and is free of stationary contact when the latching f1-einher releases the latched member, releasing r sans for the hing member, and a second stationary .1, and a movable Contact there er, the er -onnected to the .latche-4 pen. ently of the other movable .i latching member, and in such a l' nner that it leaves its stationary Contact on Lneieafse of the latching member and returns to its stationary Contact on restoration of the latch engagement of the members 

